Free Agent Signing Ken Giles Making Progress at Dodgers’ AZ Facility
As the Dodger bullpen revolving door continues to spin, more help could be on the way soon enough for the struggling relief staff that has posted the fourth-worst ERA in baseball up to this point in the season.
The latest on injured right-hander Daniel Hudson has been well-documented of late. He joined the Arizona Complex League Dodgers last week and has thrown in two games up to this point. Another guy throwing at the team’s complex in Arizona is recently signed free agent reliever Ken Giles.
Giles is a right-hander and former big league closer that has battled through injuries over the last few seasons. At his best, he put together a 2.43 ERA over a 245 games stretch and has even locked down 115 saves in his career. He was also part of the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros… but we’ll forget that for now.
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register recently reported that Giles has been throwing to hitters at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, AZ and could be assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City “at some point.” He last appeared in a big league ball game about a year ago with the Seattle Mariners.
The Dodgers find themselves in a precarious spot when it comes to how to attack the upcoming trade deadline which is now less than two months away. People within the industry believe the front office could be all in on starting pitching, relief help, and may even explore adding a center fielder. On the other hand, if two or five injured players could rebound and join the active roster, then you could argue the Dodgers are as well equipped as any team in baseball to challenge for a title in October.
The next few weeks will be critical for the future of the organization (because trades literally mean sending away potential future stars).
Another Try for Jimmy Nelson
One more guy attempting to get back to the big league mound is reliever Jimmy Nelson. The veteran was with the Dodgers in 2021 until his elbow gave way and he required season ending Tommy John surgery. After missing 2022 recovering from the operation, he and the Dodgers hoped he’d be able to bounce back and be a weapon for the club out of the bullpen. He pitched in some games during spring training but it was apparent that he still wasn’t right.
After a few stops and restarts, Nelson is back on the grind again and was sent on a rehab assignment with rookie-level Arizona Complex League Dodgers on Saturday. He still has a long road ahead to a possible return.
Have you signed up for the Dodgers Nation newsletter yet? Get the latest news, rumors, highlights and more right in your inbox every day! Keep up to date on every single thing involving your boys in blue!
